Clamp for correcting the external ear and method of using the clamp

Abstract

A clamp in form of a mainly U-shaped or V-shaped device serves for non-invasively affecting a cartilage fold on for example the exterior ear by a stretching and compressive force. The clamp is shaped as a V, in which the angle α between the legs of the V prior to use is equal to or smaller than 90°, and the angle β between the legs of the V, in use mounted on a cartilage fold, is smaller than the angle α. The clamp is made of a material that can be given a permanent deformation and which therefore is able to maintain a constant pressure on local, opposite areas of the cartilage fold.

1. A clamp in the form of a mainly V-shaped device for non-invasively affecting a cartilage fold on an exterior ear of a person by applying stretching and compressive forces, which clamp comprises first and second legs that are arranged in a V shape and are made of a material having properties sufficient to be given a permanent deformation to maintain a constant pressure on local, opposite areas of the cartilage fold of the exterior ear and to maintain the constant pressure and the stretching and compressive forces until the clamp is removed, wherein the first and second legs of the clamp prior to use have a mutual first angle α which is smaller than or equal to 90°, and wherein the clamp in use extends over the cartilage fold, with the first and second legs permanently deformed to assume a second angle β which is smaller than the first angle α, wherein the first and second legs have free ends that are arc-shaped and converge mutually towards each other. 
     
     
       2. The clamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp has a longitudinal extent that mainly corresponds to the length of the anthelix of the exterior ear. 
     
     
       3. The clamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is made of metal. 
     
     
       4. The clamp according to  claim 3 , wherein the metal is silver, a silver alloy, titanium or a titanium alloy. 
     
     
       5. The clamp according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second legs each have a generally linear free end. 
     
     
       6. The clamp according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a protective pad provided which is supported by the first and second legs. 
     
     
       7. The clamp according to  claim 6 , wherein the protective pad is at least partly covered by an adhesive which detachably adheres to human skin. 
     
     
       8. The clamp according to  claim 6 , wherein the first and second legs are made of a metal sheet having a thickness of between 0.2 and 2 mm and the protective pad is made of nonallergenic foam material and covers the entire surface of the legs and extends by a portion past the free ends of the legs. 
     
     
       9. The clamp according to  claim 8 , wherein the protective pad extends at least 2 mm beyond the free ends of the legs, has one surface that is glued to the legs and an opposing surface that is at least partly covered by an adhesive which detachably adheres to human skin. 
     
     
       10. The clamp according to  claim 9 , which further comprises a screw clamp for adjusting and exerting pressure on the legs for maintaining the given angle β therebetween. 
     
     
       11. The clamp according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a screw clamp for adjusting and maintaining a given angle β between the first and second legs. 
     
     
       12. A method of forming an anthelix on an exterior ear that lacks a natural anthelix, which method comprises:
 forming, on the exterior ear of a person in need thereof, an artificial anthelix in the form of a fold which is maintained in a folded position from the inner side of the fold by means of a double coated fixture, 
 deforming the cartilage for a first time period in at least an area of the fold by the clamp according to  claim 1 , 
 optionally, for a second time period, maintaining the shape of the deformed fold between a female mold and a male mold, and 
 repeating the previous steps until a healed, cosmetically satisfying anthelix is established. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the clamp maintains the ear in an excessively deformed state, in which the clamping force is only exerted on a local area of the artificially constructed cartilage fold, while the vertex of the ear fold is stretched and pulled until a permanent lesion is formed, such that healing of the lesion with cartilaginous scar tissue assists in forming of the cartilage structure of a normal anthelix. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the remaining part of the ear fold that constitutes the new anthelix is mainly kept unaffected by the clamp by surrounding the greater part of the fold tissue by the clamp without contacting it. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14  which further comprises attaching a fixture to the back of the ear to keep the ear in an excessively deformed shape to form the anthelix. 
     
     
       16. The clamp according to  claim 1  having an arc-shaped upper end edge facing upwards in use, and an arc-shaped lower end edge facing downwards in use, wherein the legs are longer at the upper end edge than at the lower end edge. 
     
     
       17. The clamp according to  claim 1  which further comprises a fixture attached to the back of the ear to keep the ear in an excessively deformed shape to form the anthelix.